Strawberry no Dearest
by recchinon
Summary: Everybody thought that Orihime and Uryu would become a couple it was just a matter of time. Orihime kept hearing people saying that Uryu has a thing for her and decided to confess. But what if they were wrong and Uryu turned her down? To make it worse, Ichigo Kurosaki, the school's infamous punk accidentally listened to the whole thing?
1. 0: The Girl who Got her Heart Broken

Summary:

Everybody thought that Orihime and Uryu would become a couple it was just a matter of time. Orihime kept hearing people saying that Uryu has a thing for her and decided to confess. But what if they were wrong and Uryu turned her down? To make it worse, Ichigo Kurosaki, the school's infamous punk accidentally listened to the whole thing?

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PROLOGUE:

The Girl who Got her Heart Broken

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"He likes you. He must be in love with you."

Tatsuki Arisawa wiped the sweat on her forehead with the clean towel her auburn haired bestfriend brought her. It was during her Karate club activity when she saw her beautiful friend's pumpkin head popped at the dojo's door. Being the vice captain who was stronger than most male in their club, Tatsuki took a break from her kata practice to see her friend. From her face alone, Tatsuki could guess what she wanted to talk about.

It was not hard to read what was in Orihime Inoue's head. You didn't have to be Tatsuki to guess what she was thinking at the time. The way she chewed her own lip or hpw she avoided eye contact, Orihime could never lie, and this was one of so many reasons why the black belt karateka loves her so much and promised to protect her no matter what.

"B-but... Maybe he just thinks of me as his vice captain... We never spend much time together except for the club activities..."

Tatsuki snorted. The club she was talking about was the unpopular sewing club, and the man she mentioned was Uryu Ishida, the so called club captain. Tatsuki was also in the same class with Uryu and Orihime and she knew some girls who seemed to idolize the boy but still, the tomboy didn't understand why Orihime would fall for someone like him. In her opinion, Orihime deserved the best guy for her, but still she just wanted her to be happy and if being with the dark haired skinny guy would make her happy then she would do nothing but support her. Besides, why would anyone turn down a girl like her? Look at her. Orihime had the body, beauty, and brain. She was a little clumsy but it didn't matter because she was still so attractive no matter what. Orihime was oblivious about it but Tatsuki know that more than half of the male population in their school were crazy about her. It was not surprising though since Orihime has the body of the goddess and her clumsy behavious could be often mistaken as cute. Uryu Ishida, the smartest student in their school was lucky because the so called school idol had her eyes on him. Tatsuki couldn't find any reason why he would reject her friend.

"C'mon, you know it is not right," Tatsuki frowned, "you guys spend time together studying in the library sometime, don't you?"

Orihime's face turned red as she shook her head shyly, "but we were just studying... It shouldn't be counted..."

"Really?" Tatsuki lifted her brow, "our school library is almost always empty you know... Maybe something had happened between you two when you were studying together..."

"Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime hissed, her face was now rivalling her hair, "no such a thing happened... Ishida-kun always so concentrated on his study...""

Tatsuki couldn't believe that a guy could ignore Orihime, especially when he had her for himself in an empty library, but then again, she couldn't guess when it comes to her class representative. He was not easy to figure out.

"Well, however," Tatsuki nodded at the captain who gave a sign for her to continue her kata practice, before she turned to Orihime and gave her a serious look, "you should confess to him, okay... I believe he would give you an OK."

Before Orihime could protest Tatsuki had jogged back to her captain who scold her for ditching the practice to have a chit chat. Orihime sighed as she turned to leave. Confessing, huh? She had considered about it for some time now but somehow she had no confidence to do it. She was not stupid. She could hear how people gossiping about her and the dark haired boy. Even her girl friends was so sure that Uryu Ishida had a thing for her. It was the way he looked at her, said Mahana, though Orihime didn't know how he looked at her. She didn't want to get her head big just because people kept telling her that he definitely likes her, but she did find a little more courage to confess now, especially after she talked to Tatsuki just now. Besides, Uryu was really kind to her, so event if he turned her down, he would still act like usual with her after the confession, wouldn't he?

Orihime balled her hands, she had decided. Yes, she would confess.

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"I like you."

Ichigo Kurosaki blinked. He shifted a little from his current position. The perpetual scowl deepened in curiousity. He rubber his chin thoughtfully, he knew this girl. She was in the same class with him, though naturally, he had never talked to her. Her face was half hidden under her bang but he could see, somehow, that she was blushing.

"I..." she bit her lip as she tried to find the right word, "I have been liking you for a while now..."

Ichigo narrowed his eyes, from his position, he couldn't see the guy's face but he had an idea who it was. Black hair, tall and skinny, that gesture to fix his glass. It was zuryu Ishida, another guy from his class. Ichigo was a little surprised though, he had heard some rumor saying those two were dating, but it seemed like the rumor was not true after all.

He wasn't interested in the rumors around the school, but he couldn't help but to feel slightly interested in the situation. He was from the same Junior High school with Uryu Ishida, infact, his mother was actually Uryu's father's cousin, he knew that the boy was pretty popular amongst the girl, but he didn't understand why. He knew that Uryu was smart but he looked so boring, always obeying the rules. But he guessed, the girls liked this kind of boy? Even the school idol, Orihime Inoue, liked him.

Ichigo shifted a little from his position on the tree, careful not to make much noise. It would be awkward if those two realized that he had been there the whole time. Uryu hated Ichigo and he returned the sentiment, they knew each other for so long yet they couldn't get along well. If he knew Ichigo were eavesdropping his private moment, Ichigo was sure Uryu would do something annoying to pay back.

"Inoue-san," Ichigo tensed when finally his cousin openee his mouth. Oh well he wasn't really interested or something but for a reason, he felt nervous waiting for his answer. The girl must have been feeling even worse, he realized, "I appreciate your feeling, but I am so sorry. I cannot accept your feeling."

The girl gasped. For few seconds it looked almost like she would cry but she quickly covered it with a smile. She shook her head and laughed nervously, "Oh, it's okay, don't worry. I-i just... I want you to know. I am sorry that I have called you to this place..."

Then she bowed deeply.

Uryu returned her bow before he turned and left the still bowing girl. Ichigo couldn't see her face but he somehow saw her shaking shoulders after he was gone. Well, it couldn't be helped. Ichigo had never been confessed to but he guessed there was no better way to reject a girl's feeling. If you didn't feel the same you shouldn't agree to go out with them right?

Ichigo scratched his cheek with one finger. The girl was sobbing down there and he felt awkward up there just listening to her small sobs. He hated when girls started crying, well at least she cried because she thought that she was alone at the time.

The orange haired boy put his hand into his pocket. Suddenly he remembered that this morning his sister made him bring his kerchief with him. He wondered if this were the right thing to do for a moment but then decided that he didn't give a damn. Slowly he moved a little so he was right above the girl. He frowned when he saw her wiping her tears with the back of her hand.

With a frown on his face Ichigo dropped the handkerchief on her head.

Orihime startled when she felt something on her head and found a kerchief on her looked around nervously while clutching the plain white kerchief with both hands.

_Stupid, I am up there. _Ichigo thought amusedly when the girl now looked at his kerchief and sniffed it. The boy rolled his hazelnut eyes, _what are you? A dog?_

Orihime let out a soft giggled as she used the kerchief to wipe her tears. For a weird reason, she felt a bit better now.

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"Your eyes look red. Are you okay?"

"Ah yeah, I was crying whole night reading some manga," a giggle, "don't worry about me."

She was a terrible liar.

Ichigo Kurosaki didn't know what he was doing. He wasn't supposed to eavesdrop the girls. Lately, it had become a habit, apparently. He was using his arms as a pillow as he tried to sleep at his table. The first period was empty and he didn't want to listen to whatever his noisy friend was telling him so he pretended to sleep just so he would stop talking, but a somehow familiar feminine voice had his attention. He wonder since when had he recognized her voice.

Ichigo frowned, it seemed like her friends hadn't known about the confession. He wondered of Orihime planned to hide the fact that yesterday afterschool she had confessed to one of their classmate and got turned down right away. Well it wasn't his business but for a reason he didnt know, he was... Interested? Well that wasn't really the word but for now, maybe thats the only word he could find to describe it. Ichigo was never a busybody or nosy, nor ever had he been interested in something like this, but here he was, eavesdropping the girls conversation while trying so hard to look indifferent in his seat.

"By the way, I haven't seen Ishida since this morning," The girl named Ryo pointed out as she looked around the classroom, "yep, he isn't here. How unusual for our class representative to be this late."

Mahana shrugged, "maybe he won't go to school today?"

Ichigo tilted his head a little as he heard a soft chuckled from a certain auburn haired classmate of his. Orihime shook her head gently as she tried to explain, "Ishida-kun has a meeting this morning with the other student committee about the school festival, it's next month, remember?"

Tatsuki who was busy working on her unfinished homework grunted, "school festival is stupid. I hope our class wouldn't come out with stupid ideas."

"Our class in junior high school decided to mix maid cafe and haunted house," Orihime tried to explain, "so it became haunted cafe."

Mahana laughed, "that sounds absurd!"

Ichigo was still tilting his head when Keigo started to complained because nobody listened to him. He started to grab Ichigo's collar and shook him while whining annoyingly, "Ichigooooooo are you listening? I am talking to you!"

"Shut up!" Ichigo grunted, "You're so noisy!"

"How meaaaaniee..."

Ichigo tried to shove him away from him. Annoyed by the whining and half worried that it would attract the other's eyes to him. He was still struggling to push the annoying friend away from him when his eyes met a pair of big grey orbs.

Ichigo gulped.

The girl did have red puffy eyes. Did she really cry the whole night? Had Uryu really broken her heart that badly?

As if she could read what was in his mind, the girl smile at him. Just a simple gentle smile but Ichigo could feel his cheek burnt and, God damn it, turned red.

God. Damn. It.

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"So he turned you down?"

Orihime told her bestfriend about her confession later that day on their way home. Actually she didn't want to tell her, not yet, but her friend was smart enough to see how she had been avoiding Uryu's eyes earlier today when he talked to her about their club activity. Uryu was indifferent but he was always like that, calm and cool headed while Orihime, in the other hand, was not too goodat hiding something. It wasn't difficult for Tatsuki to understand the situation. She just needed the detail.

The girl nodded shyly, tried to smile as her friend looked somewhat furious, "I am ojay, don't worry, at least Ishida-kun doesn't ignore me and treat me like usual, isn't that good?"

Tatsuki clenched her teeth, she was so sure that the dark haired guy was in love with her best friend, "did he tell you the reason?"

Orihime shook his head, "No."

Tatsuki frowned, "did you tell him why do you like him?"

Orihime blushed at this question then quickly shook her head, "he wouldn't remember such a thing... I..." She looked at Tatsuki sheepishly, "Do you think I have to?"

The karateka sighed, her bestfriend could be really clueless sometime, "I think you should tell him. I think he deserves to know."

Orihime thought for a moment and nodded. She was right. Uryu had the right to know about the reason why she fell in love with him.

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/next chapter 1: "The Boy who Got his Heart Stolen"

AUTHOR's NOTE:

New story from me. I am working on so many new stories right now and dont know which one to update first. I feel bad because I am working on so many things at the same time, it makes me hard to focus. As you can see, I am a cosplayer and illustrator so I have other things to work on to aside from my fanfics... (you can see my works in deviantart username: recchinon (for cosplay) and recchika (for artworks)

Now talk about this story, I think it is refreshing to write a teenage love comedy once in a while. I wrote this before I finished After School but when I post this, I already finish the last chapter of After School.

I like this fic so I hope you guys would enjoy this. Slight IshiHime but dont worry because you know how I am a sucker for IchiHime. :))


	2. 1: The Boy who Got his Heart Stolen

Chapter 1

The Boy who Got His Heart Stolen

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When Orihime was a baby, her parents abused her. Her parents would hit her when she cried and almost killed her if only her older brother who was still a teenager at the time didn't take her with him and ran away from their home. She never missed her parents, she didn't even remember much about them. Her brother started working and acted as her guardian. He was still young but he worked so hard for her. He was the one who made bentos for her, the one who braided her hair and the one who tucked her before she slept at night. For her, Sora Inoue was not only an older brother but also a father and he meant everything for her.

When she was in junior high school, far before she met Tatsuki, Orihime had been bullied by the girl in her class. They kicked her, cut her hair, and called her names. She cried almost everyday, wondering what she had done wrong that made those girls hated her so much. And then during those days, she started to loathe herself, started to hide things from her brother. She lost her smile and it made Sora felt sad. He wanted her to be her old self, smiling and be happy, but Orihime would keep on crying and shut her self from other people including her brother.

That morning, he asked her what had happened to her but she didn't answer him. She refused to smile at him when he left for work that day, unaware that it was the last time she could see her beloved brother alive. That day, the rain just wouldn't stop and that evening, when he walked home from work, still worrying about his only sister, a car hit him. Sora Kurosaki died in the age of twenty eight yearold and Orihime lost her last chance to smile at least for the last time for him.

After that, Orihime met Tatsuki and she decided that she would never cry anymore. Not in front of anyone. No more a crybaby, she promised that she would be strong and kept on smiling no matter what. It has been almost three years since that day and she had broke her promise few nights ago, thanks to a certain dark haired man.

When Orihime arived in the hospital, her brother had passed away. She cried alone in the corridor of the hospital while the paramedics cleaned her brother's body. That was when she met Uryu Ishida for the first time.

Of course, said boy didn't remember about it.

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><p>Orihime looked at the man in front of her with a lot of things in her head. She tapped her pointy chin as she wondered if he would listen to her once again. However he had turned her down once, what if he thought she was being too persistent? Orihime chewed her lower lip, another habit which made Tatsuki scolded her sometimes. She didn't want to be persistent but Tatsuki was right, Uryu had a right to know about the reason why she liked him. She did, after all, not telling him anything except that she liked him last time. Maybe he just thought that she was a weird woman...<p>

"Is there something on my face, Inoue-san?"

Orihime startled from her day dream and blink few times when a pair of dark brown eyes looked into her grey ones. She blushed when she realized that she had been staring at Uryu's face this whole time. She could hear the other club members chuckled at this, making the girl felt more embarrassed.

"No... I just..." she blurted out, "do you have time after club?"

Uryu blinked. He paused from his previous activity, cutting the pattern on the fabric. The other members were silent too, looking at Orihime in a disbelieving look. Was she asking him for a date?

Orihime could hear some murmur from the other side of their club room, she quickly added to explain, "I need to talk to you, mmm... You know, privately?"

Without she realized it, her words just make it worse. The assumption about what had been going on between two of them had gone wild even before this and now, just like fueling the fire, Orihime had made the situation gone even more wrong. When she realized what she had done, Orihime felt like kicking her own self for being so stupid. She couldn't meet Uryu's eyes now, she was afraid thay she had made him angry or something, but after few seconds, Uryu finally said something.

"Sure." he said calmly, continued working on the fabric, "now can we all focus on our work once more?"

Of course it wasn't easy to focus on whatever thing she was doing after she said what she had said. Orihime looked at the footless lion plushie in her table. She could hear some upperclassmen who were also the club member giggled from the table behind her. Sure they didn't have any idea that Orihime had been rejected by the only man in their club few days ago. Nobody would have guessed. After all, they all believed that the feeling was mutual, moreover some of them believed that they both had already been dating each other secretly.

Too bad they were all wrong.

Orihime had no idea about dating or going out with someone. Even when she confessed to Uryu she hadn't really thought about what would happen after that, if he accepted her feeling. Going out was not something familiar to her. And the thought of her going out with Uryu... Holding hand together in a park, she would wear a white sun dress and he would wear a white legging just like those princes in the fairy tales...

Suddenly she remembered something. The princess pulled out a simple plain white kerchief from her pocket. She had washed it and iron it, in case she found the owner, she could return it and thank them for the handkerchief. She didn't know whose kerchief it is but perhaps they overheard her confession that time and saw her crying... Embarrassing. Orihime pouted. The thought of someone saw her crying made her feeling nervous. She had been trying not to cry in front of anybody for these past three years and suddenly someone had seen her crying after getting turned down...

There was a small strawberry in the corner of the kerchief, making Orihime wanted to believe that the owner of the white little thing was a girl. Maybe someone from the same year with her? Orihime wondered if they could be friend. After all, they had seen her crying... Well, that is if they didn't feel disgusted at her.

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><p>This was his favorite place. His favorite tree. There were few trees in the backyard of their school buildings but this one was his favorite so far. Ichigo spent his time on the biggest branch, reading Shakespeare after school, avoiding his annoying so called friends who tried to drag him to a goukon to get a girl, or some people from sport club who were so adamant to recruit him into their club. Nah, Ichigo didn't want to hurry to go home only to get bullied by his stupid father. He would prefer to spend his time here, on his favorite tree branch, reading his favorite book. Keigo would definitely laugh his head off if only he knew that the strawberry was a big fan of William Shakespeare.<p>

It didn't suit his image, really he knew it already, but reading is something that he really enjoyed to do. Some people thought he enjoyed fighting just because some stupid boys from another school often challenged him and dragged him into a fight. Well, it was not their fault though to mistaken him as a punk. His facial expression and natural hair color, plus tall and muscular body which didn't suit his age, made people think that Ichigo Kurosaki was a yankee. He was not. Really, Ichigo Kurosaki was a mama boy who loves his little sisters, enjoyed Shakespeare and loved chocolate. He hated complicated things though and for a reason he despised crying woman.

For a weird reason, in this week, it has been the second time he saw a girl crying.

Same girl.

Same place.

Same reason.

Ichigo was speechless, still sitting awkwardly on his favorite branch, the girl below was hugging her knees, obviously crying. Ichigo clenched his hands. He saw everything. He had never thought that his damn cousin would be that cruel toward a girl. He knew that Uryu Ishida was annoying, he could never stand him, but to think that he could be so heartless...

_"So, what is it, Inoue-san?"_

_At the mentioned of her name by familiar voice, Ichigo opened his eyes slowly. He was trying to take a nap on the tree when his two classmates came to the school backyard, completely oblivious with his presence. Ichigo knew wondered what it was about. He knew that the girl had been turned down earlier this week by the dark haired boy. Hadn't she given up yet? He wondered what she wanted this time._

_Eavesdropping was bad but he couldn't help it._

_Ichigo held his breath, hoping that they wouldn't see him up there. It would be much more awkward if they found out he was there this whole time. Ichigo could see the girl were looking down at her shoes, avoiding Uryu's gaze. From his position, Ichigo couldn't see her expression but he could imagine how nervous she must be._

_"Umm, Ishida-kun, I... About you..." she took a deep breath, clearly nervous, Ichigo could tell from her voice, "I know you already turned me down... But I think it is necessary for me to tell you this, three years ago..."_

_"Inoue-san," Uryu's voice was stern, forcing the girl to looked up at him. He narrowed his eyes as he pushed up his glasses, somehow he looked as if he was annoyed, "I didn't want to say this but I think you didn't understand what I said few days ago... I already knew that you like me, and all the rumors about us amongst the students, I didn't want to talk about it, but I think you should know..."_

_Orihime swallowed. His eyes were so cold, so was his tone. _

_"It is annoying. Really, the rumor is really annoying and the fact that you keep on following me everywhere doesn't help at all. Please don't get me wrong, just because I was nice doesn't mean I love you or something. In fact, I don't love you. Moreover, I hate you."_

_The girl was speechless. She couldn't believe that her Ishida-kun would say something as cruel as that to her. What had she done? She knew he doesn't like her back but to say that he actually hated her was a bit... She bit her tongue so hard trying to stop the tears that were ready to fall. She thought it was enough but no, Uryu still had more to say._

_"I don't know what you see in me, and I don't really want to know." He grimmaced as he continued, "in fact, I really hate someone like you. You are so annoying. You acted nice to everyone, fake smile, tying to please everyone, what are you thinking? You think everyone likes you... People like you, I hate the most."_

_After that, the boy turned and left coolly. As if he hadn't just said something hurtful. Leaving the girl alone, still staring at her shoes. Right after he left, Orihime felt the tears started to fall on her cheeks. It hurts so bad that she almost felt numb. _

_She had been broken, twice._

Ichigo Kurosaki scratched his cheek awkwardly. He never liked to see a woman crying. Why did girls think that crying would solve their problem, Ichigo would never understand. It was annoying when they started crying for every single thing.

The boy was frowning and wondering if he should make his presence be known or not when suddenly the girl stood up and groaned loudly, surprising the boy that he almost fell of the branch he was on. She blinked when he saw the girl punched the air with a determined look in her face. She was no longer crying but he could see the wetness on her soft cheeks.

"Yosh! Uryu-kun is right!" she shouted all of sudden, confusing the boy even more, "It was none of his business, what am I thinking?" she smacked her head, literally, making the boy flinched, "He hated me... Well, of course..." she giggled, though it sounded empty, "it was my own fault. I am pretending and he knew it. I guess, it's my fault... I should have been more observant. If I knew he hated me, I wouldn't have confessed to him..." She sighed, she pulled out a white handkerchief, to wipe the tears, from her pocket, "now he must be hating me even more..."

Ichigo scowled, he couldn't understand this girl at all. He couldn't follow her logic. He was not really understand about this matter but still, shouldn't she be angrier? After all, that was quite harsh. Even him knew that telling her that he hated her was too much... So why wasn't she angry? For someone who cried easily (at least, he had seen her crying twice this week) she forgave too easily.

"Well, do you think I should apologize, Ichigo-chan?"

Ichigo almost lost his ballance. He would have certainly fallen off the tree if his reflex wasn't good enough to grab another branch nearby to support his weight. His heart beating fast as he looked at the girl with terrified look. Did she see him? How did she know he was...

"But again, he might think I am annoying even more if I still insist to talk to him, what should I do?" Ichigo narrowed his eyes to see what she was actually doing, "ne? Ichigo-chan?"

No, she wasn't talking to him. Then, whom she was talking to?

Ichigo tried to move to get a better look of the girl. Too bad, he lost his ballance and fell off the tree.

* * *

><p>"Are you okay?"<p>

When he slowly opened his eyes, a pair or grey orbs looked into his hazelnut ones. She looked at him with a worried look upon her face when he closed his eyes and groaned. She wondered if he hit his head too hard when he fell.

"Kurosaki-kun?"

Soft. Ichigo furrowed his brows as he tried to confirm what was so soft under his head. His eyes snapped open and his face turned bright red when he remembered what had just happened and what was the thing below his head. Quickly he tried to get up but the top of his head hit her jaw, lucky she didn't bite her tongue in process.

For few seconds both orange haired high school students couldn't say anything. Both holding their jaw and head which throbbing painfully. Ichigo would never guess that a girl like her could have such a hard jaw bone.

"Y-you..." Ichigo pointed at the girl angrily, "who are you calling Ichigo-chan?!"

Orihime frowned, "you were listening?"

"Of course, I..."

Orihime waved a familiar white kerchief in front of her, small strawberry in the corner of the white fabric was mocking him. That was Ichigo-chan? He cursed mentally.

"What are you doing up there?" Orihime pouted, "you were eavesdropping?"

"No I am not!" Ichigo rebutted with red face, he pointed a finger to her "Y-you came here and cry," he skipped the part where she got rejected, "I hate cry babies!"

Orihime opened her mouth but nothing come out, she put both of her hands on her waist and puffed her cheeks childishly. Ichigo had to bit the inside of his cheek to keep a straight expression. He didn't want to admit but the girl looked so cute at the moment.

What the-

She wasn't cute, no... No ... Stupid. He shouldn't think that she was cute.

Orihime stuck her chin out, this time she folded her arms below her boobs, "I didn't mean to cry in front of you."

Ichigo opened his mouth to retort but another familiar voice was calling her name. Ichigo growled. Tatsuki Arisawa was definitely not his favorite person in this world. He didn't want to be seen by the dragon right now when he and the princess were both sitting on the ground, covered with some dirt and dry leaves. She might misunderstood the situation. Orihime took a look at him and seemed to understand what he had in his mind.

"Wait Tatsuki-chan! I am coming... Just a moment please!"

The girl stood up and using her hands to straighten her uniform and clean the dirt on her skirt. When Ichigo looked up he caught a glimp of her panties. White cotton panties with small strawberries pattern. Damn it.

Orihime looked over her shoulder and gasped.

"You must have hit your head! Your nose is bleeding!"

Ichigo blushed as he stood up and hastily left the place. Damn. It.

* * *

><p><em>"Are you okay?"<em>

_The girl looked up with her big grey orbs. She was alone in an empty corridor in the hospital. In front of her, standing a boy around her age, looking at her with a worried look in his dark brown eyes. His dark hair was a bit messy, but his eyes looked serious and somehow gentle. She blinked away some tears. She had never met him before._

_"My brother..." she sobbed, "he died..."_

_He sat down next to her. Rubbing under his nose, wondering what should he do. He tried to remember wnything his mother had ever told her about crying girls but alas he could never remember any advice which he could apply right now. He gulped. _

_"My father is a doctor in this hospital," he wondered if it was okay to talk about himself in this situation, "Today I visit him with my mother and sisters."_

_The girl didn't look at him and he guessed it was okay to continue. At least, he knew that she was listening._

_"When I was going to be a big brother, do you know what my mother told me about big brothers? She said that big brothers are born to protect the little ones that would be born after him. I think, your brother had protected you well and he would keep on protecting you..."_

_She looked at him and he smiled awkwardly, "He wouldn't want you to cry? Would he?"_

_To his surprised she started crying louder. Making him panicked and without thinking further he pulled her into a hug and patted her back gently. They stayed like until he forgot how long. He noticed that her autumn colored hair smelt faintly like strawberry and a little coconut milk. Almost half an hour later his parents found him half asleep with a sleeping girl on his lap. His mother giggled when he put his finger on his lips, telling his mother not to speak too loudly. His father rubbed his head proudly before he carried the girl in his strong arms, intended to move her to an empty room so she could rest better. The boy watched his father left with the girl with a worried look upon his face. _

_The boy turned to his mother when he felt a hand on his newly dyed hair, "Your teacher asked you to dye it black?"_

_He shrugged as they walked away, "they didn't believe that it was my real hair color."_

_"Want me to talk to your teacher?"_

_"It is not necessary, Mom..."_

_"Oh no... it is! I will talk to your homeroom teacher tomorrow."_

_The boy didn't protest anymore. He knew that his mother would do just like what she wanted no matter what he said. He didn't really worried about his hair color anyway, he more worried about the girl he just met earlier. He wondered if they could meet again._

_"You would meet her again, don't worry..."_

_He nodded._

_His mother was always right._

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/CHAPTER 2: The Boy and Girl in the Rumor

Author's note:

Did you see what I am doing here? Actually a little snapshot about the past should be in the next chapter but I think it is ok to post it here... I don't intent to make this fic too long. Not more than 12 chapters, perhaps...

It is hard to write Ichigo's character without being much OOC here, slight OOC is needed since it is AU but I want people to see him as Ichigo, I need him to fall in love with her for the sake of the plot but, that could make him OOC if I did it wrongly. So I hope I did it right... Uryu might seem OOC to you but I did think he is not that OOC, Uryu can be blunt too, sometime you know. I quite like his character in this fic, his role is important, of course, but some people might hate him after this...

Now I am happy if you like this story. :) review?

Love,

RECCHI


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